Modeling a modern cowl.

[willimo]

So, I'm heavily reworking a Fujimi Civic kit. So far, it's been a pretty straightforward project. A lot of work, definitely, but nothing really insurmountable. That is, nothing until I began work on the cowl. The little plastic area between the windshield and the engine bay. That damned little plastic. You see, just like all modern, and not so modern cars, this plastic is full of these little square holes. As such:



How on earth can I do that? I tried some S27 PE square mesh laid over the putty-and-plastic surface I've already built, but it was a disaster! So much so I was glad I didn't wreck all my effort to this point with it. Any ideas from you scratchbuilding masters out there? I bet someone has some clever idea that'll just rock my world.

Thanks!

[jano11]

Make it out of very thin plastic card, cut out the areas with the holes.
Make it again out of thicker plastic card and cut the areas with the holes a wee bit smaller.
Glue the thiner one on top of the thicker one.
Find the right square mesh for the cut out areas, cut it to the right size to fill the areas in the thiner one and glue them on top of the thicker one.
Fill the gaps between the mesh and plastic card with putty, sand it and prime it.

This is how I would do it, If I wouldn't go the easier route of making a 3D model of it and ask a 3D printing service to make it for me.

Hope it helps.

[MPWR]

A recipe for insanity there, my friend. I can think of no way at all to practically model that in 1/24.

How wide are the plastic strips that make up the mesh? Say 1/8" maybe (or maybe 1/16")? If they are no smaller than 1/8", in 1/24 they would each be 0.005", or the thickness of a piece of paper. Even PE doesn't go that small. I won't say it can't be done, but I'd say it probably shouldn't be tried.

If you really want the grid look, you could try to simulate it with decal film. You already have some decent looking PE mesh? Get some clear decal film, and using the mesh as a mask spray some gloss black through it to paint a grid pattern of dots on the film. Cut the dotted film into suitable shapes and apply. Obviously it won't show on a black surface, but the cowling there isn't black. If the cowling is painted darkish grey, the black dot decal pattern should look like a subtle mesh.

[drunken monkey]

hmm.....
how's this?

get a lump of plastercine and using a piece of the thinnest styrene you've got , press into it, a grid.
try and pour/force resin into that grid.

repeat again and again and again....


or you could try and make a punch die using the smallest/finest needles you can find. For the effect, you probably don't need a proper hole, just a dent to accept some wash.

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

No need to be overcomplicating this.

The only way it could be done effectively is through photoetch. You'd have to develop artwork for the pattern, and you'd have to make some sort of buck/mold to shape the part, get the bends in the right places, yada yada. Or just open up those meshed areas in the plastic and insert photoetched "holes", probably would have to be custom work to get that particular pattern.

Personally, more work than I'd bother with. I'd just paint the part a darkish gray, and use a black wash over the screened area.

[Jay!]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

The only way it could be done effectively is through photoetch. You'd have to develop artwork for the pattern, and you'd have to make some sort of buck/mold to shape the part, get the bends in the right places, yada yada.

+1 Great excuse for a DIY P/E project!

Or, let out a long sigh, and say, "meh."

Maybe try a fine-point cross hatching, then a black wash. Over such a small area, you only have to give the impression of detail.

[Mojo_stevo]

What about making the basic scape out of epoxy putty, and then using something with that texture, to make impressions in the top of it while it's soft.

If you have some old junk electronics anywhere, you can open it up and use the pins on the back of a micro chip the make that texture.
...That's a little drastic, buuut it could work.

[blubaja]

Geez Will!!! WTF man are you serious!! lol...thats a little anal..And I HATE those 1:1 honda cowls. They're so brittle after a few years only. Um..isn't there any very fine model railroad PE mesh like that?

[pirata12]

What about the mesh that Tamiya supplies with most of there bike kits? Its soft and easy to work with?